KREWE HISTORY

This krewe was started as a mumble under my breath to a friend, after frustrations over the growing responsibilities and commitment of being in a large local krewe.  Having no clue what to do to make it a reality to start a new krewe and running it by several trusted friends (who now join me as my Board of Directors and are Founding Members) I decided to wrap my head around it and give it a shot!

Unlike many other local krewes, we are not affiliated with a charity, therefore we do not require you to raise money. There are no required mandatory events or fundraisers. We do not require you to attend any of our events, raise donations, earn points, or make you volunteer or serve on committees. We are all successful, busy, socially involved women, so our krewe is strictly a social krewe.  It is a place to just have positive, healthy, good "girl fun." The Mystic Mafia was born, and this group has grown in to such a sense of pride for me, and for all of our Gangster Girls. Since our inaugural year, we are always quite selective. We have an age minimum of 25 years old, and a maximum of 45 members, and do not plan to alter that number much through the coming years. We have a sisterhood-like closeness only a small krewe can provide, and some of the friendships made here will be lifelong.

2010-2011 Board of Directors are as follows; April Davidson – President & Founder, Karen Fleming – Membership Chair, Angela Preston - Social Events Director, and Jackie Tucker - Float Manager.  Active founding members are: April Davidson, Karen Fleming, Angela Preston, Jackie Tucker, Amy Bowers, Amy Leath, Chelsea White, Danielle Henry, Georganna Schellang, and Tracy Matthias.

The nomination window for new prospective members is summer of every year. The President hosts all current and prospective members at the Annual New Member Social, held in August. Board members will then collectively decide who and how many replacement girls we will be accepting. The new inductees will then be announced. The Annual Fall Meet & Greet is our first social event of the year, for returning and new gangster girls.

Dues are paid annually by every member and are due by August 30th every year.  Dues include 5 OFFICIAL EVENTS; the krewe-only themed Christmas party at the Prez's house, our legendary Gangster Night Out (ask anyone in the krewe how much fun this night is!), Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade (the Saturday before Mardi Gras), and the Fiesta of Five Flags Parade (held in June), as well as the fall New Member Social. The Mystic Mafia is also traditionally invited to participate in the invitation only All-Krewe Ball during the Fiesta celebration every year. In addition, we meet socially for a quarterly Happy Hour.

We have definitely made an impression on our city. We have had an amazing few years so far. The gangster theme, in combination with our costumes, props, toys, and attitude, is SO much fun! I anticipate it to only get better as we develop. If you would like to be considered for membership, you may email me or talk to any of our current members. It promises to be another amazing year! GANGSTA!!